Master’s in Nursing Education (MSN): From Studies to Practice

Choosing the MSN Educator Specialty Track

• Nursing School’s Need for Competent Teachers.
• A Shortage of Nursing Instructional Staff.
• A Variety of Career Opportunities.
• Satisfaction and Individual Goals Achievement.

MSN Educators are in strong demand. While nursing schools need qualified instructors, a shortage of teachers has become a pressing problem. Students have multiple opportunities in this sphere: academic and clinical educators in various settings, for example, community colleges and universities. Satisfaction is also significant. Students who want to make a difference apply their abilities to practice.

MSN Requirements

• Entry into Advanced Nursing Practice.
• Core Courses in Curriculum Requirements.
• Clinical Components in Curriculum Requirements.
• Elective Courses in Curriculum Requirements.

Applicants should hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Curricula consist of three parts. Core Courses are fundamental for future professional activities. Clinical components deal with the on-hand experience in hospitals or clinics. Elective courses are more specific: students choose from alternatives.

MSN Educator’s Duties

• Nursing Education Curriculum Design and Improvement.
• Classroom and Clinical Courses Instruction.
• Coursework and Clinical Performance Grading.
• Research Conduction and Educational Papers Publication.

The primary responsibility is to develop and enhance the curriculum. MSN educators work directly with students, train them, and grade their work. They evaluate the existing courses. Further, research is an integral part of educators’ careers. It is necessary to deal with both nursing and educational issues.

MSN Educator’s Field and Academic Knowledge

• Different Medical Field Knowledge Impartation.
• Corresponding Knowledge from Humanities Sharing.
• Management and Leadership Knowledge Extension.
• Multidisciplinary Endeavors Knowledge Spreading and Improvement.

Educators provide students with proper knowledge concerning many subjects. The task is to increase medical knowledge and prepare students for managing organizational work. However, Humanities are also important: social and ethical aspects are intertwined with nursing. Multidisciplinary knowledge should be addressed. To be a success, nurses should be acquainted with different fields and achievements.

The organization, Service Improvement, and MSN Educator’s Field

• Academic Knowledge and Practice Integration.
• Organizational and Systems Leadership Skills Development.
• Ethical and Critical Decision-Making Improvement.
• Healthcare Technologies as the Improvement Instrument.

Nurses are to connect the contents of theory and practice. They should become effective leaders able to solve problems and guide staff. Ethical issues and critical thinking should be considered. To improve healthcare, nurses should use technologies. They not only improve service quality but also save time and reduce costs.

MSN Educators and Interprofessional Cooperation

• Communication with Professionals to Manage Care.
• Communication to Develop Health Policy.
• Communication with Professionals to Advocate Patients.
• Communication Technologies as the Means of Integration.

One cannot imagine high-quality services without cooperation. Interaction should be present among nurses, MSN educators, and other professionals. Working at the junction of disciplines helps manage care and enhance health strategy. As a result, patients are supported. In this context, communication technologies provide instant contact.

The AACN Essential Skills: Teaching Organizational Science

• Usage of Textbooks and Journals about Organization.
• Hospitals and Clinics Organization Study.
• Discussion and Practical Tasks about Organization.
• Cooperation with Hospitals’ and Clinics’ Administration.

One of the possible ways to use AACN is to draw attention to teaching organization. MSN educators may refer to Essential III and increase quality and safety (American Association, 2011). Practically, it means that appropriate sources will be used. Students will learn how real hospitals are organized. They will also discuss what they studied and perform tasks.

The AACN Essential Skills: Teaching Teamwork

• Teamwork and High-Quality Care Connection.
• Leadership Styles Study and Discussion.
• Managing Conflict and Negotiation Study.
• Setting Projects Based on Teamwork.

The main form of activities will be teamwork. To manage problems, students should learn about leadership, building, and operating effective teams. They should know how to behave in conflict situations. High-quality services are provided through teamwork. To solidify knowledge, students will do a teamwork project.

The AACN Essential Skills: Research

• Research-Based on Sciences and Humanities Background.
• Safety and Quality Improvement as the Foundation.
• Findings Application Within the Practice Setting.
• Cooperation with Professionals and Interdisciplinarity.

It is possible to conduct research on the ground of AACN Essentials. Such an investigation will be based on many-component knowledge. Research should provide and amend safety and quality for the actual nurse setting. In this respect, cooperation will be crucial. It will help do research and apply the results to practice.

AACN Essentials in Practice: Multi-Dimensional Leadership

• Role Modeling is a Conscious Decision.
• The vision of the Preferred Outcomes Sharing.
• Students’ Learning Assistance and Guidance.
• Relational Integrity Via Trust-Based Relationship Ascertainment.

The AACN Essentials are used differently. Currently, leadership is one of the frequently mentioned essentials. The model suggested by Adelman-Mullally et al. (2013) is multi-dimensional. Leaders become role models and transfer their vision to the results of nursing practice. They also help in studies and build trusting relationships.

AACN Essentials in Practice: Evidence-Based Practice

• Research Support and Recent Findings Address.
• High Reliability and Safety Issues.
• Organization and the Opportunity to Speak Up.
• Healthcare Improvement and Reduced Costs.

Another way is to use Evidence-Based Practice. It covers many essentials. According to the research, the approach proves to be effective regarding higher safety and healthcare enhancement (Melny, Fineout-Overholt, Gallagher-Ford, & Kaplan, 2012). Nurses who actually deal with patients take part in research and express their views. Thus, such a practice is reliable.

AACN Essentials in Practice: Patient Safety Workshops

• Patient Safety as the Goal.
• Students’ Teamwork as the Main Activity Type.
• Educators’ Teamwork and Communication Skills.
• Interprofessional Cooperation Within the TeamSTEPPS Workshops.

A workshop is a perfect type of activity for teamwork. Forstater, Alan, Pettit, & Duffy (2015) give an example of the workshop. It is aimed at patient safety provision and encourages teamwork. Interprofessional cooperation is required: the tasks demand knowledge from different spheres. Besides, educators themselves are involved in communication and share their knowledge.

The Importance of the Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing

• Provision of the Key Curricular Elements.
• Orientation to the General Standards.
• Guidance for Authors of Master’s Programs.
• Connection with Baccalaureate and Doctorate Essentials.

The AACN Essentials are significant. They give the necessary curricular elements that may guide creators of future programs. Thus, educators feel more confident. Moreover, one needs to compare one’s practice with certain standards. With Baccalaureate and Doctorate Essentials, AACN Essentials gives a clear picture of requirements in nursing.

Ways to Encourage MSN Educators to Use AACN Essentials

• Sharing AACN Information with Students.
• Sharing AACN Information with Educators.
• Sharing AACN Information with Authorities.
• The Results of AACN-Based Research Implementation.

Since AACN are of great importance, it is necessary to share information about them. All stakeholders will benefit. Students will gain useful information. Authorities will control hospitals and clinics more effectively. Educators’ work and essentials are connected with the purpose of training.

Role of Master’s-Prepared Nurse

• Educator as the Nursing Knowledge Promoter.
• Executive as the Policy Implementation.
• Nursing Informatics Specialist as the Data Provider.
• Health Policy Nurse as the Legislator.
• FNP as the Individual Health Care Provider.

Master’s-Prepared Nurses play vital roles in different spheres. They perform as policy implementation, information providers, standard makers, care providers. Educators promote knowledge and train future specialists. AACN Essentials may be useful in all fields. In education, they help introduce new methods to enhance health care, guide, and evaluate knowledge.

References

Adelman-Mullally, T., Mulder, C. K., McCarter-Spalding, D. E., Hagler, D. A., Gaberson, K. B., Hanner, M. B.,… & Young, P. K. (2013). The clinical nurse educator as leader. Nurse Education in Practice, 13(1), 29-34.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The essentials of Master’s education in nursing. Web.

Forstater, M. D., Alan, T., Pettit, M. S. N., & Duffy, M. S. N. (2015). Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Education (JCIPE) creates TeamSTEPPS workshops for patient safety training for students. Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter), 28(3), 4.

Melnyk, B. M., Fineout-Overholt, E., Gallagher-Ford, L., & Kaplan, L. (2012). The state of evidence-based practice in US nurses: Critical implications for nurse leaders and educators. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(9), 410-417.